Gilbertson going … going …?
EUGENE, Ore. – Washington’s sophomore safety C.J. Wallace came off the field and threw his helmet down as hard as he could, making teammates skip out of the way as the outcome of the Oregon game became clear. He sat down and refused to look up. People touched his shoulder. He was so angry he wouldn’t acknowledge them.
There is nothing left for anyone to say about a bad football season growing progressively and helplessly worse. Wallace knows it. Everyone around him knows it.
“I don’t have any comments, other than the other team played well and congratulations,” a grim-faced UW Keith Gilbertson said after losing 31-6 to the Ducks last Saturday night at Autzen Stadium. “Now if you have any questions.”
OK, one more: How does this end?
With the season having bottomed out at 1-7, and threatening to surpass the worst record (1-9 in 1969) in the Huskies’ 115 seasons, a sampling of alumni and supporters close to the program, who asked not to be identified, say a coaching change is inevitable, but booster pressure won’t be outwardly necessary to make it happen.
These people admit to emotional ties to Gilbertson, who helped bring them a national championship 13 years ago and a Rose Bowl victory as recently as four years ago. There is no angry lynch mob. Instead, they trust the new administration, holding no sentimental value to Gilbertson and feeling the urgency of the situation, will ask for a swift and immediate termination following the Apple Cup.
That is, unless Gilbertson, emotional guy that he is and feeling humiliated by the irreversible slide, tenders his resignation leading up to the WSU game, if not sooner.
Team supporters say it wouldn’t be out of character for the well-traveled coach to try something this drastic to inspire his troops one last time – by offering to finish up but not stay thereafter, especially if all else has failed. Of course, Gilbertson would need to negotiate a settlement with the school behind the scenes. There’s a significant drop in the severance package should he choose to quit rather than be fired, with $735,000 base salary his starting point if he lets others force the issue.
New UW president Mark Emmert and athletic director Todd Turner have been in the background on most Saturdays, taking mental notes, drawing conclusions. They’ve both been purposely vague when asked about their ongoing football mess, which has threatened the department’s once overly healthy revenue stream in the first year on their watch.
“I’m disappointed like everyone else,” Turner said after the latest loss. “We’ve got three tough games left. Yes, then I’ll sit and think about it.”
The only other solution, in an effort to minimize major rebuilding efforts and avoid installing a third coach in four seasons, is to retain Gilbertson and force him to fire his offensive and defensive coordinators, John Pettas and Phil Snow, according to insiders.